– Former WWE Superstar Ted DiBiase Jr. noted on social media recently that he interviewed WWE Hall Of Famer Shawn Michaels for his “Price of Fame” documentary that he has been working on for a couple of years. The documentary focuses on DiBiase Jr. and his relationship with his father, “The Million Dollar Man” Ted DiBiase Sr.
– NXT Champion Sami Zayn is featured on the latest edition of WWE’s “30 Second Fury,” which you can check out below.
The following are highlights of a new Chad Dukes Wrestling Show interview with “The Million Dollar Man” Ted DiBiase:
On Bray Wyatt and different characters: “I think [Mike Rotunda aka IRS] son, this Bray Wyatt is one of the best new characters that they’ve had in a long time. I really, really like it… I went back to work for them for a short time back in ’06, and they said, “Watch the shows tell me what you think,” and I said, ‘Everybody’s the same.’ You know, back then I said, ‘Everybody’s bald head, tattooed, trying to be Stone Cold Steve Austin.’When I was there it was a variety of characters. You had the guy with the snake, you had the rich Snidely Whiplash- me, and then you had a hillbilly, you had a sumo wrestler, you had all these characters. To now, nobody wears a ring jacket anymore, everybody looks the same. So I think they’re starting to get back to that and that’s good.”
On the Undertaker’s Streak: “My personal feeling is that wasn’t supposed to happen. I don’t know for sure, I hadn’t spoken to anybody that night, I haven’t spoken to anybody since but, I was told, somebody said that when ‘Taker when he got back through the curtain, he collapsed. And I think that whatever the move was, I think he got knocked out and he didn’t kick out because he was out. As I was watching it I saw the expression on [Paul Heyman]‘s face I thought, ‘Something ain’t right.’ So I really think that wasn’t supposed to happen… If I were going to do it, the Streak was such a thing, a big deal with fans, I would either never beat him at WrestleMania or if I did beat him I would do it with somebody you’re really gonna give a big push… Obviously, Brock’s great, but he didn’t need it.”
– The latest edition of Chris Jericho’s “Talk Is Jericho” podcast, which features an exclusive interview with TNA star MVP, is now available. The official description for the show reads as follows:
TIJ – EP46 – TNA Impact’s MVP
“Will MVP take part in TNA’s “Slammiversary” PPV event this Sunday? He updates Chris on his knee injury! He’s also talking about his time with NJPW and why he left, how he ended up at TNA, what he thinks about WWE, and how he survived 9 years in prison. Plus, he shares his favorite thing to say in Japanese.”
– The latest edition of Jim Ross’ “Ross Report” podcast, which features an exclusive interview with WWE Hall Of Famer “The Million Dollar Man” Ted DiBiase, is now available. The official description for that show reads as follows:
TRR – Ep17 – “Million Dollar Man” Ted DiBiase
“”The Million Dollar Man” Ted DiBiase chronicles his life in the squared circle with JR – from his early days in the mid-South territory to his days as the most hated wrestler in the biz! Hear stories about Stan Hansen, Bill Watts, Jim Barnett, Vince McMahon Sr & Jr, Eric Bischoff, Hulk Hogan, and Ole Anderson.”
– Sheamus granted three wishes through the Make-A-Wish Foundation at the WWE live event in Dublin, Ireland this past Thursday.
– Ric Flair, Matt Hardy, Jeff Hardy, “The Million Dollar Man” Ted DiBiase Sr. and others will be on hand at the Big Time Wrestling event on May 31st in North Charleston, South Carolina.
The following are some preview clips for this week’s edition of WWE Total Divas, which airs on E! on Sunday night:
– Vince McMahon ended up making the trip to London, England for WWE RAW tonight. As previously reported, McMahon — along with company executive George Barrios — held a conference call earlier today to react to the recent WWE stock decline following the announcement of the company’s new agreement with NBCUniversal. McMahon did the call from London, while Barrios was in Stamford, CT.
– WWE Hall Of Famer Jim Ross has recently listed the following stars as future guests on his “Ross Report” podcast, which airs every Tuesday night at PodcastOne.com: Michelle Beadle of ESPN, Eric Bischoff, Bill Goldberg, Ted DiBiase, MVP, Lance Storm, Kurt Angle, Bully Ray, Sting, AJ Styles and Tony Schiavone.
– WWE Hall Of Famer Hulk Hogan was at WWE’s studios in Stamford earlier this week filming several hours of interviews for future WWE projects.
– The Ultimate Warrior Legends Roundtable that aired on the WWE Network this weekend, which featured Josh Mathews, Booker T, Sgt. Slaughter and Ted DiBiase, was filmed on Thursday.
– WWE Network will be debuting a new series called “Best of WWE Hall Of Fame” next week. The series will look back at some of the different WWE Hall Of Fame inductions over the years.
Since the launch of the WWE Network, over 600,000 fans have subscribed to the service. While it’s a bit below the one million subscribers they were hoping for, it’s still an admirable number for a service that is still only available in the United States.
With live access to every pay-per-view and a vault containing every special event in WWE, WCW, and ECW history, it is safe to assume that most fans signed up in order to gain access to the special events, and at the reduced price of only $9.99 per month, who can blame them?
There is a lot more to the WWE Network than just a vault of old events and live access to each month’s pay-per-view, however. There is also a boatload of original content. Here is a list of some of the must-see original content on the Network.
5. Legends of Wrestling: Families – Watching a bunch of old-timers talk about the good old days is usually about as exciting as watching paint dry, but some of these are actually pretty entertaining. One of the best round-table discussions includes a panel consisting of Sergeant Slaughter, Jim Ross, Ted DiBiase, and James J. Dillon. The group discusses the importance and prevalence of families in the WWE. It is interesting to hear DiBiase discuss how having a father in the business influenced him to become a professional wrestler.
Daniel Bryan’s journey to WrestleMania is something most fans will be able to enjoy.
4. Journey to WrestleMania: Daniel Bryan – This is obviously one of the newest pieces of original content on the Network. It follows Daniel Bryan on his week leading up to this year’s WrestleMania and provides a number of exclusive interviews leading up to the event. It also discusses his rise to the top after initially being terminated from the company, with commentary from William Regal and Pat Patterson discussing how the company made a mistake in his firing. The most interesting parts of this documentary are the backstage scenes and hearing his fellow wrestlers praise him for his accomplishments.
The following are highlights of a recent Inside The Ropes interview with “Million Dollar Man” Ted DiBiase:
On his past comments about Ultimate Warrior and his WWE Hall Of Fame induction: “I mean, I don’t hate the guy. It goes back to anybody that watched the DVD, The Self Destruction of the Ultimate Warrior, that really tells the story. Obviously, if Vince has decided he needs to be in the Hall of Fame, I’m not going to begrudge that and obviously I’m going to be there. I quite frankly, don’t know how many of my peers believes he really deserves it because…it’s not just about being the star it’s about a number of things, it comes back down to the gratitude thing. None of us would be stars, when I was inducted I had a list of people that I needed to thank. Harley Race was there in the crowd and I pointed Harley out. I think that’s it, the overall lack of gratitude that the Warrior has shown over the years. Where it makes most of us go ‘Who do you think you are?’ Doesn’t he realise that none of this would be happening if it wasn’t for a lot of help from a lot of people. I think that’s pretty much the consensus. I don’t begrudge him. I’m not that kinda guy to hold a grudge. If I had to feel one thing towards Jim Hellwig, I guess it would be pity a little bit. I’ve heard other people say that he just generally has the attitude that it’s about succeeding in life and you’re going to have to do what you can to get ahead and if that means stepping on people along the way then so be it. That, in my opinion, is a very sad commentary and a very poor way to look at life. So am I going to begrudge him for going into the Hall of Fame? No.”
On Ultimate Warrior’s induction speech: “I often wonder if Vince has thought about that. Here’s his one opportunity to lay it all out there and vent out his frustrations on all of us who think he isn’t worthy. Hopefully he won’t do that. I heard that Linda McMahon is inducting him. You have to ask yourself why? Why is Linda McMahon inducting him? Maybe he couldn’t find anyone else to do it.”
On The Undertaker’s undefeated WrestleMania streak ending: “People ask me, I have mixed feelings. One part of me says leave the streak, it’s an honor to who he is, and how his character has endured and to Taker who’ll always be remembered. But you know, the other part of me think it’s like when Andre The Giant allowed Hulk Hogan to beat him at WrestleMania 3, he passed the torch. I feel that’s one of those things that has to happen. After all, it’s a business. You’ve got to have new stars and you need people to pass the torch to build those stars. I don’t know, but either way I’ll be happy.”
Throughout the course of WWE history, many have had the chance to latch onto the most coveted prize in sports entertainment: the WWE World Heavyweight Championship.
Many former champions have been memorable. Others have been downright Miz-erable. Unfortunately, some of the most talented and entertaining superstars in the history of the company never had the chance to obtain the sport’s prized possession. Here are five of the most talented superstars to never hold the WWE World Heavyweight Championship.
5. William Regal
Regal holds the dubious distinction of being the first inductee into the much-respected “Kiss My Ass Club.” If only that honor were as distinguished as holding the WWE Championship…
Despite never holding the top prize, Regal was no stranger to gold in the WWE, having been a champion on 15 different occasions although he is, in my opinion, criminally underrated.
With all of the skills necessary to have a run as the face of the company, Regal’s situation is likely similar to that of Jake “The Snake” Roberts or Scott Hall, where the wrestler’s personal problems prevented the company from being able to fully commit.
4. Owen Hart
Bret Hart called himself “The Best There Is, The Best There Was, and The Best There Ever Will Be.” One man who could always match him step-for-step in the ring, however, was his little brother Owen.
The so-called “Black Hart,” Owen was one of the best in-ring technicians of his generation, was great on the microphone, and was surprisingly hilarious when guesting as a color commentator (e.g., 1996 King of the Ring).
As we all know, his life was tragically cut short before ever reaching the pinnacle of sports entertainment, but I think most will agree he would have carried the strap well had he been granted the opportunity.
3. Roddy Piper
“The Hot Rod” revolutionized the role of the heel during the 1980s. I mean, who else had the balls to break a coconut over Jimmy Snuka’s head?
His uncouth tactics and lack of respect for those around him would be an inspiration for those who followed, including Steve Austin and CM Punk.
As one of the most recognizable superstars of his era, it seems hard to believe that Piper never got a run as champ, but he was at a disadvantage by wrestling in an era where faces almost always came out on top.
WWE Hall of Famer “The Million Dollar Man” Ted DiBiase Sr. recently took some time to participate in an exclusive in-depth interview with PWMania.com. DiBiase, now retired from active wrestling, serves the public as a minister for Heart of David Ministry and had a lot to say about his new profession, wrestling, his family and more including Vince McMahon, Steve Austin, The Undertaker, WCW and the attitude era. Here are some highlights from the interview:
Vince McMahon & The Million Dollar Man Character: “It all has to do with marketing. The greatest marketing is word of mouth. Nobody can disagree that Vince is extremely good at marketing. He has marketed WWE so well and even the name Wrestlemania is synonymous with events like the Super Bowl. Now, this past Super Bowl was terrible. But, it’s a brand, just like WWE is a brand. People will still watch that brand. Wrestlemania will sell out because of its strength as a brand.”
Grooming Steve Austin: “I was really happy for him. I told him when I managed him the reason Vince put me with guys is because he hoped I would groom them. I told Steve at the time to keep doing what he was doing because what it is believable. You may not get over as fast, but you will last longer than guys who get over real fast and then their popularity dies out. Once you get over, you can do whatever you want. I don’t think anybody expected his character would grow to be as big as it did.”
The Attitude Era & Steve Austin: “But, as far as still managing him if I was still there, I wouldn’t be with him. As a Christian, I had an issue with the Attitude Era. If Stone Cold’s character was the heel, I’d be okay with it. But because he was drinking beer, flipping the bird and cursing…and getting cheered for it? And he becomes a babyface? That sends a message to teenagers that it’s ok to do all those things. That didn’t sit well with me.. The same thing was true with the NWO because we were the bad guys. But the bad guys were becoming the cool thing to be. There are good guys and bad guys in wrestling and I feel the story that should be told is that the good guys in the end win. If we send that message to kids, we are sending the right message. The Million Dollar Man character always got his butt kicked in the end.”
The Undertaker’s WrestleMania Appearances: “Regarding his once-a-year Wrestlemania appearances, I can only think “Mark, how many times can you do this?” Every year I think he would be getting closer to the end. But the fact that he only makes this one-time appearance is great because fans of the Undertaker will be there and will look forward to seeing him. One of the reasons Elvis Presley was famous is because the only time you ever saw him was when he walked on stage. He would walk on stage, would perform and literally left the building. It adds to the mystique. The less you see something you like, the more you want to see it.”
“The Million Dollar Man” also spoke more on Steve Austin and Vince McMahon, his future plans, WCW, WWF/E, Ted DiBiase Jr., being a minister among several other topics. You can read the in-depth interview in its entirety at PWMania.com.
– After his TNA contract was torn up at the conclusion of last night’s Impact Wrestling, Sting updated his Facebook, Twitter and official website with the following cryptic message:
– Shield member Roman Reigns spoke to Chad Dukes this week about a number of topics, including Sunday’s Royal Rumble pay-per-view, NFL star Richard Sherman, his Superman Punch and more. To listen to the interview, visit ChadDukesWrestlingShow.com.
– WWE legend Ted DiBiase Sr. tweeted the following about his son Mike being arrested again yesterday morning:
Please pray for my oldest son Mike. He’s been arrested again and is in jail. Pray that God would break his pride and he would grow up.
The following are highlights of a WGD Weekly interview with “The Million Dollar Man” Ted DiBiase Sr:
The differences in working for WWF and WCW: “…The major difference between WCW and the WWF is the WWF is a well-oiled machine that was run very well by Vince McMahon, who had his finger on the button all the time and knew what he was doing. I couldn’t say that for WCW, I’m sorry but they were the worst organization, in the time that I was there, it was kind of like too many chiefs and not enough Indians. There were times that we would go on the live show and they didn’t even know what they were going to do in the last segment yet…”
His thoughts on his son, Ted, Jr. parting ways with WWE last September: “…At a place and a time in my life, I was putting my life back together and I really came to understand that there was no amount of money that I could make that was worth being away from my family for any length of time, which is a decision that my son had recently made. I didn’t want my sons to wrestle. Not because I didn’t love wrestling and the lifestyle, but because of the demand that it takes from you in terms of being away from family…”
What is missing in today’s wrestling product: “…In my opinion, that’s the one thing today that’s really missing, and again, I’m not taking anything away from John Cena, Cena is a great guy, he is a consummate pro, he is one of the hardest working guys I have ever seen. But, it’s like every good run has it’s run and I think it’s run its course in terms of he has been there so long but what are they gonna replace him with? Where is that next bigger than life superstar? You had Hogan, then you had Austin, then you got the Rock, you had Shawn Michaels, but it’s like, where is that next star? That is the question that I’m asking…who is it gonna be?”
Turning down an opportunity to work for the WWF in 1984: “…I went back to Atlanta in 1984. This was when Vince was starting to make his move. We did a television in Atlanta and in walks Pat Patterson and they get all the guys together and Pat makes this big announcement of what is about to happen that the WWF was now going to have its show on TBS…I remember pat saying to the guys there, ‘Now, I don’t want any of you to worry, nobody is losing their job, everybody has got a job. So, I got Pat off to the side, and I said, ‘look, with all due respect, you and I have known each other a long time…you and I both know there is a difference in having a job and having a position. I said, right now, I know you guys have your key guys in position, so I think I’m gonna go back to Mid-South and I am going to wait for a better time. So, I went back to Mid-South in 1984…”
The original plan for WrestleMania 4, him almost becoming WWE Champion, and how plans changed: “…The show with the twin referee’s at Market Square Arena; the set up for WrestleMania 4 was exactly what it was supposed to be. Andre puts the belt around my waist, basically signifying that he had sold it to me, and I actually wore the belt for about a week or two weeks, then they come out with the Jack Tunney announcement…so they vacate the title and that was the whole idea to set up WrestleMania 4. Now, originally, the thought was that I would in some underhanded way, win at WrestleMania 4. I think there were a couple of things. One thing, the Honky Tonk Man was the Intercontinental Champion and for whatever reason, he didn’t want to drop the belt to Randy Savage, which is I think what they originally thought about doing there. I remember Pat Patterson came to me and he said, ‘Ted, what would put more heat on you, if we do what we normally do, your built as a heel and in some underhanded way you get the title and you have the run with Hogan and of course you drop the title then he goes on with somebody else, or you don’t win the title at WrestleMania, and eventually, you create your own belt.’ In other words, I don’t need your title, I am gonna create my own title and I am going to defend it every night. So, I said, ‘That’s the ticket.’”
A classic story from his time on the road with Andre the Giant: “…The funniest story is, we were going to Japan. It is a fourteen hour flight from Atlanta, or New York, or Dallas, just about anywhere, to japan. Andre is sitting in first class, and Andre sitting in first class is like me sitting in coach now, you know, you’re jammed in the seat, you’re not comfortable. So, we get off the plane and now it’s another hour into the city, we check into the hotel and we drop our bags and we are going to go get something to eat. So, I push the button on the elevator and there is Andre, ‘Hey boss, let’s go eat’ and so as it starts down, it seems that this elevator stops on every floor and people just keep getting on. Japan is a very small country, with a lot of people, so what you and I would consider a full elevator, not over there. One thing about the Giant is he doesn’t like to be crowded, and he has just been on a fourteen hour flight, crammed in a little seat in a plane, and now he is in a Japanese hotel in a room that is by our standard normal, but in his standard not, and now, he is in an elevator and people keep getting on. He reaches over and taps me on the shoulder or the leg and I glanced up at him and he winked and he smiled. I said, ‘okay, something is going to happen.’ I’m looking straight ahead and all of a sudden, the Giant cuts the loudest, longest fart I believe I have ever heard in my life. I remember standing there thinking when is it going to end, it was like ‘oh my gosh,’ and it just kept going. The poor guy who is standing directly behind him, which obviously…this guy is right at butt level, so he is getting it full force. All I can tell you is this, when the elevator stopped and the doors opened, those people couldn’t get off the elevator fast enough, it was like the exodus. All you could hear was the Giant going, ‘Ho,ho,ho,ho, ho.” I was laughing so hard I couldn’t breathe…it was a classic Andre moment…”
A chance meeting many years after with the little kid that he kicked the basketball away from in one of his early “Million Dollar Man” spots on WWE TV: “…of all the stunts we did, the one people ask me the most about is that one…I just started saying and of course, this is twenty years later, that kid is five then, so he would be 25 or 26 years old now. I said what is probably gonna happen is I am gonna be walking through an airport and some guy is gonna tap me on the shoulder and he will be six foot six and look down at me and say, ‘hey, remember that kid and the basketball?’ Now, I said it jokingly, then a couple of years ago I flew into Omaha, Nebraska…and I rented a car and I walked out to get the car…So, I’m trying to find a car and this guy walks up, taps me on the shoulder, I turn around and I look up at him, and he is about six foot six, this guy is a monster. He says, ‘Mr. DiBiase, I’m the general manager here. I will help you find a car if you like and, oh, by the way, do you remember that thing you did with the kid and the basketball?’ I looked at him and I just went, ‘No.’ He just got the biggest grin on his face and he says, ‘Yep, it was me.’ I almost had a cow…”
– WWE Hall Of Famer “The Million Dollar Man” Ted DiBiase Sr. has officially pulled out of his booking at the Mid South Wrestling fan fest, which is set to take place during WrestleMania weekend. The reason DiBiase canceled the booking is because WWE has booked him for their WrestleMania weekend festivities. A replacement for DiBiase at the Mid South fan fest is expected to be announced in the near future.
– Speaking of WrestleMania weekend cancellations, The Young Bucks have pulled out of their scheduled appearance in New Orleans during that weekend as well.
– The Philly.com website has a new story up regarding advice WWE Hall Of Famer “Stone Cold” Steve Austin gave NFL player DeSean Jackson when he was robbed of $250,000 in cash. You can check that story out online at Philly.com.
– WWE announcer JBL tweeted the following photo of himself, Ted DiBiase and Alberto Del Rio from backstage at tonight’s Old School RAW with a pretty great caption:
SESCOOPS.COM reader Peter Ferreri sent along the following:
Listen to the MILLION DOLLAR MAN talk about how the current state of the WWE, John Cena as a performer, RAW goes “old school,” his dislike of the Ultimate Warrior, his rivalry vs. Hogan, the POP he would get in Omaha, how to cut a good promo, telling one of the hosts Dr. Pete’s Mom “not to worry” and MORE!
The ROAD DOGG sits down the the hosts of SportsTownChicago to discuss his return to the WWE, the current state of the Tag Team Division, cutting promos, how he formed his tag team and had the “brass” to tell the WWE he didn’t like where his career was going, being a LEGEND, his return to Rumble last year, and MUCH MORE!
– The Newsday website has a new featured interview up on their website with WWE Hall Of Famer “The Million Dollar Man” Ted DiBiase, where he talks about saving money, what Ted DiBiase Jr. is up to and developing new WWE Superstars. Check it out at Newsday.com. (Thanks to Joshua Stewart for sending along the link.)
– WWE Superstar John Cena recently expressed his appreciation for so many fans signing up on Twitter for his “#ChangeTime” campaign:
– Jonathan Snowden recently published an interview he conducted with WWE Hall Of Famer “The Million Dollar Man” Ted DiBiase Sr. Fans interested in checking that out can do so online at BleacherReport.com.
– In Sunday’s New York Times crossword puzzle, WWE Hall Of Famer Captain Lou Albano was one of the answers. 94 across was “Wrestler Lou,” with the correct answer being “Albano.”
– WWE Hall Of Famer Bret “The Hitman” Hart will be appearing at The Wrestling Universe in Flushing, New York on February 22nd from Noon until 2pm E.T.
– Former WWE developmental star Brett DiBiase welcomed his first baby boy into the world over the weekend. Brett is the youngest son of WWE Hall Of Famer “The Million Dollar Man” Ted DiBiase Sr.
– Fans at the WWE live event in Chicago, Illinois on Thursday were given the opportunity to vote on the stipulation for the match between Mark Henry and Fandango. 53 percent of the fans in attendance ended up voting for a Dance Off. This led to Henry dancing to Michael Jackson’s “Billie Jean,” complete with a moonwaulk, before being attacked by Fandango. Henry ended up fighting Fandango back and doing another moonwalk.
– WWE Hall Of Famer J.J. Dillon is scheduled to make a special appearance at the “Toys For Tots II” show in Newark, Delaware on Saturday evening. For more information, visit ECWAProWrestling.com.
– WWE Hall Of Famer “The Million Dollar Man” Ted DiBiase, along with former WWE Superstars and Divas The Godfather, Kelly Kelly and Maryse are all scheduled for the Comic Con event in Monroeville, Pennsylvania on Saturday and Sunday. For more information, visit SteelCityCon.com. For photos of Kelly Kelly and Maryse feeling each other up during Friday’s Comic Con event, click here.
– WWE.com has an article up looking at “Action Figure Firsts” in 2013 – Superstars who got their first WWE action figures this year.
– WWE’s William Regal posted an essay on Twitter about what young wrestlers should do in order to make it in WWE. Regal encourages talent to find a good wrestling school with a reputable trainer, get the basics down first, study the greats, become a great talker and train for endurance and strength instead of bodybuilding. You can read the full essay here.
– Former WWE Superstar Ted DiBiase Jr. is working on a movie about the career of his father called “The Price Of Fame”. Here’s the trailer:
– Former WWE Superstars Ted DiBiase and The Godfather, along with former WWE Divas Kelly Kelly and Maryse have been announced for the Steel City Comic Con in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania from December 6th through December 8th. For more information, visit TimesOnline.com.
– Former ECW tag-team “The Impact Players,” Justin Credible and Lance Storm reunited on the latest edition of “Pro Wrestling 101.” The two discuss understanding your character and how to “find yourself” as a wrestler. You can check that video out below:
The following are highlights from a recent Miami Herald interview with WWE Hall Of Famer “The Million Dollar Man” Ted DiBiase:
On WrestleMania XXX: “It’s very special. It really dates me a bit when I think, ‘This is WrestleMania 30, and my first WrestleMania was 4.’ It’s almost like, ‘Am I really that old?’ It’s a milestone year. What’s amazing is WrestleMania I, 10 and 20 were all in Madison Square Garden. WrestleMania 30, instead of being in New York, is going to be at the [Superdome] in New Orleans. That’s very special to me because I actually started my wrestling career in this area. Not the entire time, but the better part of the first 12 years of my wrestling career was spent in what was called Mid-South Wrestling. New Orleans was a very big part of that.”
On his sons being in the pro wrestling business: “Just as a father I really didn’t want my boys to follow me into wrestling. It’s not because of the wrestling itself, but because it’s a hard life. It’s really demanding, especially on family time. There are so many things out there. To the WWE’s credit, the atmosphere is much better and the accountability that they’ve built into it with their drug testing policy makes it a lot better. It is better, but it’s a hard thing on family. I was excited for my son. I never thought I was going to walk into a Toys “R” Us, and there is a twin pack of the ‘Million Dollar Man’ Ted DiBiase Sr. and Ted DiBiase Jr. I never thought I would see that. It was pretty wild. I was proud of him.”
On his son Ted DiBiase Jr. leaving WWE: “He did a tremendous job while he was there. He stared in a movie [The Marine 2], and I’m proud how he left there. There are a lot of guys who leave with a chip on their shoulder or feel they weren’t treated right or this or that. Basically what my son did was said, ‘Thank you very much. I appreciate the opportunity.’ He did it in a very professional way. I told him, ‘Don’t ever burn a bridge because you never know when you may cross it again.’ I was very proud of him on all levels. I think he is happy now. He has become quite the entrepreneur. He has a lot of things going. Before he went into wrestling, he got a college degree in business administration. He has a lot of things going for him. He loves being home with his family, but again, never say never. If the bug hits him again, then maybe he [would return]. For now he is quite happy where he’s at.”
On who he would pick as today’s “Million Dollar Champion”: “Alberto Del Rio is doing a pretty good job. His character is in line with that character. He is the rich guy flaunting his wealth. JBL [John Bradshaw Layfield], in my opinion, was the cowboy version of my character. I think he did it extremely well. You are this extremely wealthy guy, and by virtue of your wealth, you are looking down your nose at everybody. Much like a bully, when you’re confronted, you start backing off. Everybody hates guys like that. No matter how many times you get beat, you don’t mind seeing them get beat again. That’s what a good heel is in our business. I think JBL did it just as good as anybody.”
Due to the recent controversy in the NFL regarding bullying issues with the Miami Dolphins team, The Miami Herald spoke with WWE Hall Of Famer “The Million Dollar Man” Ted DiBiase about bullying in sports and pro wrestling.
The following are highlights from the interview:
On bullying in general: “Whether it’s wrestling or football or whatever, when you are the rookie or the new kid, there are things they will put you through to break you in. Some of it I think is fine, but when it comes to bullying, and on the level this appears to be, there is no place for that.”
On work he does with the bullying issue: “I do school assemblies and talk to kids about bullies. Basically, in my opinion, most bullies are cowards because most bullies don’t pick on people their own size. They pick on someone smaller, or maybe not smaller like in this case, [rather] underneath you of rank. The whole I’m a veteran and you’re the rookie, and you’re going to smile and take it because I’m the veteran.”
On racism and name-calling: “There is no place for name calling. There is no place for racism, if in fact that is what is involved here. I don’t know what went on behind the scenes. Just from the stories I’ve heard, if I was owner of the team, I would have been appalled.”
– Bray Wyatt, who has not competed since suffering a calf injury on Oct. 12 at a WWE live event in Providence, Rhode Island, is said to be “ready to go” by people in the sports-entertainment organization, Dave Meltzer revealed on F4WOnline.com on Monday. No additional details were disclosed.
According to the website, Wyatt was initially pegged to be sidelined from in-ring competition for four weeks. He was off crutches and walking around ringside at events in Mexico last week.
– Following his departure from WWE in August, Ted DiBiase, Jr. revealed in an interview with Bill Apter that “the door’s not closed forever” in regards to a return to the company. The third-generation wrestler also talks family and shows his appreciation for the fans in this video interview.
– SmackDown ring announcer Lilian Garcia is polling fans on Twitter on a hashtag name for them: “Here r the 3 finalist in Hashtag contest: #LilWarriors #LilForces #LilBrats I personally love #LilWarriors, what is UR fav? Vote now til Friday.”